Political Activism Regarding MMJ... (Read 420 times)

Better I Leave


    I am an activist. I wasn't always so, but once I went on public record in our county to fight the ban on outdoor cultivation of MMJ, I became one. I don't smoke and I haven't since I entered the US Army at the age of 19 (I turn 53 in March). I didn't have any opinion one way or the other until I met my wife. When we met online, she was disabled from a spinal injury she incurred at her job. As a result of her injury, she suffers from chronic pain. Her doctors recommended spinal fusion but would not guarantee that she would be pain free, so she chose not to have the procedure. I agree with her as I have seen more than one person go through the procedure and they still have pain and limited mobility.

     

    That being the case, her doctors would prescribe....pain killers...strong ones. These "legal" opiates would most certainly mitigate her pain, and I had the opportunity to watch my wife turn into a "zombie" on the couch as the pain meds did their work. Needless to say, conversations weren't all that great as she was "zonked" half the time while she was on the pain meds. It was me who first suggested she try MMJ for pain management as opposed to opiates. She did and lo and behold...Not only did she manage her pain, but I like to say that I got my wife back. She became productive once again. We could now converse on a plethora of subjects that we have mutual interests in (politics, science, health, cooking...etc)

     

    Over the years I have met many disabled folks who use marijuana to treat their ills. Many of these people are injured military veterans. I have come to see the benefits of pain management through the use of MMJ and became a proponent for the cause and that is why I went public with my thoughts, experience, and feelings in favor of it when the board of supervisors in my county placed a ban on it.

     

    By going public, my name was in the paper...and I became a target. My wife and I were called "dirtbag druggies" which I find interesting as I am a law abiding (state law) citizen. I pay my taxes. I'm gainfully employed as a technical professional. I have volunteered in my community and have attending business functions/political fundraisers at the county and state level.

     

    By having our names outed by the local paper(s), it didn't take long for people to learn about us and last year in November, we became the victims of a home invasion/assault. My wife was beaten, bound, and we were robbed. There first statement once they beat my wife was "We're here for the weed."....which they took along with other valuables in the house. The authorities were called and an investigation ensued. We were totally within compliance to state law as they could see, but the people who assaulted my wife still haven't been caught. At this point, I'm not sure whether our local authorities are giving the crime much precedence, but time will tell.

     

    It's interesting what happens when one becomes an activist. I know my cause pales in comparison to the cause that the Reverend King took up, but he too was an activist...and he paid for his beliefs with his life. I can see where many people feel that it's better to simply go about one's life and not "rock the boat". I look around and see much apathy and complacency. What I began in my county, and what happened to us, some have said we got what we deserved. Well, sometimes ya just gotta stand up and speak, ya know? It's all about conviction and what you believe is the right thing to do.

     

    Smile

    Trent


    Good Bad & The Monkey

    zoom-zoom


    rectumdamnnearkilledem

      What is MMJ?

       

      Medical Mary Jane, I'm assuming.

      Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

      remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

           ~ Sarah Kay

      Better I Leave


        Yes.

        LedLincoln


        not bad for mile 25

           

          Medical Mary Jane, I'm assuming.

           

          Not the same kind of person as Typhoid Mary.

            Attitudes are changing- smoking reefer recreationally is legal now up here in Washington state. (Gay marraige also legal- eat your heart out, California)

              ....

              By going public, my name was in the paper...and I became a target. My wife and I were called "dirtbag druggies" which I find interesting as I am a law abiding (state law) citizen. I pay my taxes. I'm gainfully employed as a technical professional. I have volunteered in my community and have attending business functions/political fundraisers at the county and state level.

              ...

               

              Weren't you the one who was trafficing steroids a few years back from Mexico and selling them to athletes / bodybuilders?

              I might be mistaken, but I believe that you had a post in the LA thread about this.

               

              Apart from that, I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your wife.  That must have been a traumatic situation, and I can't imagine the fear she went through.

              Life Goals:

              #1: Do what I can do

              #2: Enjoy life

               

               

              Better I Leave


                 

                Weren't you the one who was trafficing steroids a few years back from Mexico and selling them to athletes / bodybuilders?

                I might be mistaken, but I believe that you had a post in the LA thread about this.

                 

                Apart from that, I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your wife.  That must have been a traumatic situation, and I can't imagine the fear she went through.

                 

                Yes. I abandoned that practice for moral/ethical reasons decades ago.

                TJoseph


                  By going public, my name was in the paper...and I became a target. My wife and I were called "dirtbag druggies" which I find interesting as I am a law abiding (state law) citizen. I pay my taxes. I'm gainfully employed as a technical professional. I have volunteered in my community and have attending business functions/political fundraisers at the county and state level.

                   

                  By having our names outed by the local paper(s), it didn't take long for people to learn about us and last year in November, we became the victims of a home invasion/assault. My wife was beaten, bound, and we were robbed. There first statement once they beat my wife was "We're here for the weed."....which they took along with other valuables in the house. The authorities were called and an investigation ensued. We were totally within compliance to state law as they could see, but the people who assaulted my wife still haven't been caught. At this point, I'm not sure whether our local authorities are giving the crime much precedence, but time will tell.

                   

                  Not to be harsh, but you made your bed and now you have to lie in it.  You put your family, reputation, and career at risk to support a law that is clearly being abused by druggies without a real medical need for "MMJ".  Unlike MLK, your cause is not worth your life or your wife's life.  The local papers didn't "out" you, you outed yourself.  If you don't already have one, you and your wife might want to consider buying a gun and learning how to use it.


                  Ostrich runner

                     

                    Not to be harsh, but you made your bed and now you have to lie in it.  You put your family, reputation, and career at risk to support a law that is clearly being abused by druggies without a real medical need for "MMJ".  Unlike MLK, your cause is not worth your life or your wife's life.  The local papers didn't "out" you, you outed yourself.  If you don't already have one, you and your wife might want to consider buying a gun and learning how to use it.

                     

                    The ability to adequately treat pain and, supposedly, a great deal of other symptoms is probably worth quite a bit to many people. You weren't really harsh here, you were just being a dick.

                    http://www.runningahead.com/groups/Indy/forum


                    sugnim

                      Dave, I'm very sorry to hear about the awful troubles you and your wife have endured.  I don't know a whole lot about MMJ, but I have heard that it can help some people to treat certain conditions.  Grouping a disabled person who uses MMJ for treatment in the same group as "dirt bag druggies" is just as wrong as grouping those who abuse prescription medication with those who use them legally & legitimately, or really grouping any law-abiding citizen with those who would do no good for society.  It should not endanger your safety & well-being just because you chose to speak out about your wife's health condition.  I hope that you are able to secure treatment that will help you and your wife to have an easier life with less pain.

                       

                      TJoseph:  I'm just going to pretend you didn't type any of that & that you cannot possibly be serious.

                      TJoseph


                        No, beef, having an opinion different than yours is not being a dick.

                         

                        I typed it and I do believe the medical marijuana law is heavily abused by drug addicts.  Yes, there are people like Dave's wife who use it as the law as it was intended, but the vast majority of people with medical marijuana cards are just using the drug recreationally.  I think it is awful that Dave's wife was the victim of a home invasion robbery.  I believe using common sense would have prevented it.  You wouldn't make a public announcement in the paper that you are going on vacation and your house will be vacant for the next two weeks would you?


                        Ostrich runner

                          No, beef, having an opinion different than yours is not being a dick.

                           

                          I typed it and I do believe the medical marijuana law is heavily abused by drug addicts.  Yes, there are people like Dave's wife who use it as the law as it was intended, but the vast majority of people with medical marijuana cards are just using the drug recreationally.  I think it is awful that Dave's wife was the victim of a home invasion robbery.  I believe using common sense would have prevented it.  You wouldn't make a public announcement in the paper that you are going on vacation and your house will be vacant for the next two weeks would you?

                           

                          I didn't state my opinion, other than that you were being a dick. Of course, you didn't say that you thought it was awful. Instead, you essentially blamed it on him. If that's not what you meant, that's fine. Just apologize and move on. Instead, you're being a dick. Opiate pain killers are abused at a high rate as well and have a higher street value. If his house had been invaded because he'd made a public statement about any other chronic pain condition and the goal was opiates, it wouldn't be any different. Now you're making assumptions about my opinion because I was kind enough to point out that you've been dickish. I'm guessing it's a habit for you.

                          http://www.runningahead.com/groups/Indy/forum

                          JimR


                            I reserve comment based on the limited information available

                               

                              I didn't state my opinion, other than that you were being a dick. Of course, you didn't say that you thought it was awful. Instead, you essentially blamed it on him. If that's not what you meant, that's fine. Just apologize and move on. Instead, you're being a dick. Opiate pain killers are abused at a high rate as well and have a higher street value. If his house had been invaded because he'd made a public statement about any other chronic pain condition and the goal was opiates, it wouldn't be any different. Now you're making assumptions about my opinion because I was kind enough to point out that you've been dickish. I'm guessing it's a habit for you.

                              There's at least one dickish poster within this thread.

                              Life Goals:

                              #1: Do what I can do

                              #2: Enjoy life